Carrier rod drive mechanism for straight knitting machines



May 22, 1956 E. M ZESCH 2,746,274

CARRIER ROD DRIVE MECHANISM FOR STRAIGHT KNITTING MACHINES Filed Aug. 28, 1953 3 Sheets-Shae! l I FIG 1 E .55 51 40 EB 20, 12 H z 21 33 Y I r V .37

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CARRIER ROD DRIVE MECHANISM FOR STRAIGHT KNITTING MACHINES Filed Aug. 28, 1953 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 FIG 5 i 4.9a Z I 4'55 g I 5 43a 45a Z 18 45a j #10 [-s/ J E 4'1 W -&

INVENTOR.

BY wm A TTORNEYS.

United States Patent CR ROD DRIVE MECHANISM FOR STRAIGHT G MACHINES Eugene M. Zesch, Shillington, Pa., assigor to Karl Lieberlmecht, Inc, Reading, Pa., a corporation of Pennsyivania Application August 28, 1953, Serial No. 377,055

12 Claims. (Cl. 66-130) This invention relates to carrier rod drive mechanism for straight knitting machines of the Cotton type such as are commonly used in the production of fashioned hosiery. In such knitting machines, the yarn carriers are connected to slide rods reciprocated by friction boxes which are mounted on an endwise reciprocated bar actuated by what is known as a couliering mechanism, the extent of movement imparted to the carrier rods under the influence of friction bar being limited by stops with which the friction boxes engage at the ends of their travel in opposite directions.

The chief aim of my invention is to provide, in connection with drive mechanism of the kind referred to, automatically-operable means through which maximum friction is imposed at the beginning of each couliering stroke to overcome the inertia of the friction box and prevent it from slipping relative to the friction bar, and through which means the friction is reduced toward the end of each couliering stroke to an extent just suificient to prevent rebound of the box as it strikes the end stop.

Other objects and attendant advantages will appear from the following detailed description of the attached drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a skeletonized fragmentary view in transverse section, of a straight knitting machine conveniently embodying my improved carrier rod drive mechanism.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view in top plan looking as indicated by the angled arrows lI-ll in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a view partly in front elevation and partly in longitudinal section.

Figs. 4, 5 and 6 are transverse detail sectional views taken as indicated respectively by the angled arrows IVIV, V-V and VI--VI in Figs. 2 and 3 and drawn to a larger scale.

With more specific reference to these illustrations, the numeral 19 designates the longitudinal friction bar of the knitting machine, which bar, it is to be understood, is reciprocated endwise by a couliering mechanism (not shown) in a well known manner. Slidably mounted on the friction bar it is a friction box 11, the same being provided with three retractable fingers 12 for selective coupling of three different yarn carrier slide rods 13 of which there are nine in the present instance, see Figs. 1 and 2. As usual, the carrier rods 13 are guided in brackets bolted to the front top rail 15 of the machine frame whereon the sinker head 16 is supported, one of these brackets being indicated at 17. As best shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the fingers 12 are fulcrumed for independent swinging movement about a fixed pin 18 on the friction box 11. Travel of the box 11 in opposite directions, under the influence of the friction bar 16, is limited by stop screws 19, 19a which, respectively, are adjustable in the forwardly reaching arms 21 29a of sleeves 21, 21a mounted for independent sliding on a fixed longitudinal rod 22 of the machine. As shown, the sleeves 21, 21a are provided with pendant clevis projections 23, 23a which respectively engage over endwise shiftable rods 25 and 26 between pairs of collars 27 and 28 clamped upon said rods, see Figs. 1, 2 and 6.

In accordance with my invention, the friction box 11 is constructed with a main component 30 of elongate open rectangular configuration whereof the side portions are bridged at the center by a cross-web 31 which is slotted transversely as at 32 for reciprocation of the fingers 12. From Fig. 3, it will be noted that the main component 30 of friction box 11 overlies the friction bar 10 with its mid cross-web 31 and its end cross webs 33 bearing upon the top of said bar. Underslung straps 35 and 36 secured by cap bolts to the transverse web 31 and to the end webs 33 of the component 30, serve to hold the box to the friction bar. Preferably, the friction box 11 is provided with replaceable liners 37 along the side portions of the component 30 for contacting laterally with the friction bar 10, said liners being made fast by rivets 38 as best shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

Disposed in the opposite end portions of the friction box 11 between the central and end cross-webs 31 and 33, are pairs of upper and lower shoes 40, 40a and 41, 414. which are faced, as at 42, with leather or the like to frictionally bear against the top and bottom surfaces of the friction bar 10. For a reason later on explained, the upper friction shoes 40, 49a are slightly shorter as to length than the open intervals provided for them in the component 30 of the friction box 11, see Figs. 1 and 2. The lower friction shoes 41, 41a, however, fit snugly within the intervals between the center and the end underslung bridging pieces 36 and 35. Slidably guided for up and down movement in vertical slots interiorly of lugs 45, 45a upstanding from the opposite side members of the friction box component 30 substantially midway between the central and end cross-webs 31 and 33, are U-shaped yoke-like elements 46, 46:: which underreach the lower friction shoes 41, 41a and which are provided medially of their bottoms with adjusting screws 47, 47a for engaging said shoes from beneath. Fulcrumed on pins 48, 48a extending crosswise of the upper ends of the yoke-like elements 46, 46a, with interposition of space collars 49, 49a, are arms 50, 50a which, at their distal ends, are provided with rollers 51, 51a, and which, in the regions of their fulcra, are formed with eccentrically rounded wedge cam portions 52, 52a for engaging the upper friction shoes 40, 40a. Helical springs 53, 53a in compression between the upper friction shoes and the arms 50 and 52a tend to urge said arms upwardly so that their cam portions 52 and 52a are maintained in wedging engagement with said shoes. As also presently explained, the arms 50, 50a are arranged to be actuated respectively, as the friction box approaches the limits of its traverse in opposite directions, through engagement of their rollers 51, 51a respectively beneath cam projections 55, 5511 on the sleeves 21, 21a, which carry the end stops 19, 19a.

Operation As the bar 10 is couliered to the right in Figs. 2 and 3, the inertia of the friction box 11 and the connected carrier rod will tend to cause relative sliding movement between the bar and the friction shoes. The top friction shoes 40, 46a, being slightly shorter than the openings in which they are disposed within the friction box 11, will slide relative to the latter since the friction between said shoes and the bar is greater than the friction between the shoes and the cam elements 50 and 59a. The right top friction shoe 40a will thus be prevented from displacing all the clearance by the cam element 52a which will act as a wedge as the shoe slips beneath it. In this way, the pressure exerted upon the bar 10 by the friction shoes is greatly increased to prevent slippage of the box relative to the bar. Near the end of the rightward travel of friction box 11 and before it is intercepted by the stop 19a,

the pressure is relieved by action of the cam projection 55a upon the arm 50a except for the very small and hence negligible amount induced by the spring 53a. Meanwhile, the left set of friction shoes 40; 41 are clamped by the spring pressure exerted upon the left camelement'52, sothat said shoes are clamped with less pressure than normal operation would permit with friction drives as ordinarily constructed heretofore. This pressure, although small, will be suflicient for driving the box during its deceleration period and prevent countermovement or rebound of the box upon striking the stop 19a. As the direction of the friction bar is reversed or couliered to the left in Figs; 2 and 3, the left set of friction shoes 40, 41 will act as the primary means for driving the friction box and the connected carrier rod until the friction is easedby engagement of lock arm 50'with the cam projection 55'of sleeve 21.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In yarn carrier rod drive mechanism for straight knitting machines, an endwise reciprocated bar; a friction box for the yarn carrier mounted on the bar; friction shoes respectively in opposite ends of the box for engaging the bar; spring urged cam elements carried by the friction box at opposite ends and pressing upon the respective sho'espend stops respectively for limiting the traverse of the friction box in opposite directions; and means operative to actuate the cam elements alternately as thefrictiorr box nears thelimits of its travel in opposite directions, for easement of the pressure upon the friction sh'oesto prevent rebound of the box as it strikes the end stops.

, 2. Yarn carrier roddrive mechanism according to claim 1,. wherein the end stops are supported with capacity for beingshifted toward or away from each other; and wherein themeans for actuating the cam elements are shifted with the'endstops.

3. Yarn carrier rod drive mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the cam elements are formed on spring-biased roller arrns'fulcrumed for rocking movement about transverse pivotson the frictionbox; and wherein the actuatingmeans for the cam elements comprise cam members in association with the stops which are adapted to be engaged respectively bythe rollers aforesaid as the friction box nears the limits of its travel in opposite directions to move the armsabout their fulcra" against the spring action for easement of the pressure upon the corresponding'frictionshoes.

4. In yarn carrier rod drive mechanism for straight knitting machines; an endwise reciprocated bar; a' friction box mounted on thebar; friction shoes respectively in opposite ends of the box for engaging the bar from above; apair of spring-urged cam elements carried by the friction box and bearing upon the shoes; stops respectively for limiting the traverse of the friction box in opposite directions; andmeans operative to alternately actuate the cam elements as the friction box nears the limits of its travel in opposite directions for easement of the pressure upon the corresponding shoes to prevent rebound of the box as it strikes the end stops;

5. Yarn carrier rod drive mechanism according to claim 4, wherein the stops aresupported with capacity for being shifted toward'or away from each other; and wherein the means for actuating the cam elements are shifted with the stop'means.

6. Yarn carrier rod drive mechanism according to claim 4, wherein the friction shoes have slight endwise play relative toth e' friction box.

7. Yarn carrier mechanism according to claim 6, wherein the cam elements are formed on spring-biased roller arms fulcrumed for rocking movement about transverse pivots on the friction box; and wherein the actuating means for the cam elements comprises cam members in association with the stops which are adapted to be engaged respectively by the rollers aforesaid as the friction box nears the limits of its travel in opposite directions to move the arms about their fulcra against the spring action for easement of the pressure upon the corresponding shoes.

8. in yarn carrier rod drive mechanism for straight knitting machines, an endwise reciprocated bar; a friction box mounted on the ban-pairs of upper and lower friction shoes in opposite ends of the box for engaging the bar from above and from below; inverted yoke elements respectively underreaching the lower friction shoes medially and constrained to movement in vertical guideways on the box; pins extending crosswise between the upper ends ofthe side arms of the yoke elements; outwardly directed horizontally arranged armsfulcrumed on the respective' pins, said arms having eccentrically rounded wedge cam portions for engaging the upper friction shoes from above, and rollers at their distal ends; spring means influential upon said arms for normally maintaining the cam portions in" engagement with the upper shoes; stops respectively for limiting the travel of the friction box in opposite directions; and cam'members'in association with the stops adapted to be engaged by the rollers aforesaid as the friction box nears the limits of its travel in oppositedirections for moving the arms about their fulcra against the spring action to' ease the pressure upon the corresponding shoes and thereby prevent rebound of the box as it strikes the end stops.

9. Yarn carrier rod drive mechanism according to claim 8, wherein the upper friction shoes are capable of slight endwise play in the friction box as and for the purpose set forth.

10. Yarn carrier rod drive mechanism according to claim 8, wherein the end stops are supported with capacity for being shifted toward or away from each other; and wherein the roller arm actuating cam members are shiftable with said stops.

11. In yarn carrier drive mechanism for straight knitting machines; an endwise reciprocated bar; a friction box for the yarn carrier mounted on said bar; friction shoes respectively in opposite ends of the friction box; pivoted cams carried by the friction box and operative to press the respective shoes normally against the bar; end stops for limiting the traverse of the friction box in opposite directions; and means individually operative to turn the cams about their pivots for easement of the pressure upon the respective friction shoe as the box nears the liimts of its traverse in opposite directions, to prevent rebound of the box-as it strikes the respective end stops.

12. Yarn carrier drive mechanism according to claim 11, wherein the means for turning the cams to relieve the friction shoes are located along the path of traverse of the friction box.

References Cited in the file of this patent FOREIGN PATENTS 487,667 Germany Dec. 10, 1929 511,830 Germany Nov. 5, 1930 508,545 Great Britain June 30, 1939 

